How to get 'in the zone'.

Tennis demands a lot. There are thousands of possible scenarios on a tennis court which have you scrambling for a reply. Your opponent is looking to expose your weakness, and quick feet can only take you so far. We work off the court to become bigger, faster, and stronger all of which help immensely. Proper form is rehearsed from multiple sources. Mental strategies and strength determine longevity of participation or lack thereof. But above all, balance has proven to me time and time again its vital role in tennis. Balance involves all of the things mentioned above, but also is its own element most key to success. Fast feet, a strong body, and proper form, and mental stability all help in achieving balance; But balance is something intimate. It is a core sensation of wholeness. More than anything else, greater balance improves any tennis player. This is due to tennis' demands for clean contact from a level bed of strings. Without balance, finding the center of the strings at the right moment of contact is as hard as pin the tail on the donkey. This core balance is what enables a tennis player to be in the zone. I would almost go as far as saying that being in the zone is this whole body balance. So how do we find this balance? There are drills like the 'don't spill the water' and 'keep the head still' which get us going in the right direction. To feel this balance to the core, there's a mental piece that needs to be present. Your breathing contributes as you exhale while you connect with the ball. The racquet is an extension of your body at this point. It takes some time to perfect balance but will pay off time and time again. Some people have a natural gift of better balance better known as talent. Anybody can find this perfect state with the right attitude and dedication.

In the Zone is a special mental state where everything flows effortlessly and the player is playing at peek performance. He does not to perceive his opponent as a threat but as a challenge that can be overcome by using the skills that have been taught to him. He learns to focus on the process rather that the outcome in order to avoid anxiety as you cannot guarantee the result. A player in the zone does not change his mind and does not doubt his decisions. He sticks with it, trusts it, and goes with it. He also has no sense of the past or future but is immersed in the now.

In the Zone is a special mental state where everything flows effortlessly and the player is playing at peek performance. He does not to perceive his opponent as a threat but as a challenge that can be overcome by using the skills that have been taught to him. He learns to focus on the process rather that the outcome in order to avoid anxiety as you cannot guarantee the result. A player in the zone does not change his mind and does not doubt his decisions. He sticks with it, trusts it, and goes with it. He also has no sense of the past or future but is immersed in the now.